Rodolph l



Ytrotte Olatrnt fire.

RO'DOLPH L. DODGE, OF PORTLAND, MAINE.

l Letters Patent No. $8,616, dated April (i, 1869.

' IMPROVED LADDER The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same To all whom z't may concern:

Be it' known that I, RoDoLPn L, DODGE, of Portland, in the county of Cumberland, and State of Maine, have invented a newr and useful Improved Ladder; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others to make and use my invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation.

Figure 2 is a top plan ofthe staging, or platform.

A is a view of the method of' uniting the sides of the ladder, when it is desired to use it as a straight ladder.

My invention can be employed for a variety of purposes, such as for a fruit-ladder, a house-ladder, Sto.

It consists of the two parts A B, lunited at a by one of the rounds of the ladder acting as a pivot for the two parts supporting the platform, constructed as herein described. v v

Both of the two ends, thus united, are shouldered, so that, when 'the ladder is straight, the straps l) c,

.slipping over the ends, hold the sides rigid, as illustrated at A.

The points el secure the ladder when placed in position, and prevent slipping.

Upon the ladder l place the movable platform D, made as hereinafter described. This Tplatform is attached to the ladder as follows:

By the horizontal arms 6 c, which have slits, or recesses at j, to enable the arms to pass over the rounds of the ladder. These arms support the platform. The arms gvv are jointed to e at h, and are slitted, or recessed at i, so .as to pass over a round ofthe ladder, below e, and thus keep the platform horizontal. Thus, the platform is removable easily, and is yet secure when placed in position.

To effect greater security, the platform D is made slotted, so as to embrace the ,two sides of the ladder,

illustrated in figs-1 and 2.

The platform, however, once in position, and ready for use, is still quite inconvenient, by reason of the fact that, in order to reach it, one must climb up over the outward edge of D. To obviate this, I apply the trapdoor n, with which one, mounting the ladder, will push up the door, pass through, and, standiiig on one side, drop it, to have the platform to stand upon.

Itis equally convenient when one desires to descend,

The plat-form can be removed, 'and folded up, and thus be made to occupy little space. The ladder can also be folded.

Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The ladder, composed of the parts A B, capable of being made straight, as described, when used iu combination with the platform D, constructed and supported as described.

RODOLPH L. DODGE.

Witnesses WM. FRANKLIN SEAVEY,

HENRY G. HousroN.

and pass between the same, and rest on the round, as 

